Instrument case



May 24, 1932.v T. R HARRISON INSTRUMENT CASE Filed June e. 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l May 24, 1932- T. R. HARRISON ,859,872

INSTRUMENT CASE Filed June 6, 1930 2 Sheets-SheefI 2 JNVENToR.

if 790/1445 i #Wwf/50N A TTORNEY 248. SUPPORTS,

YPatented 24, 1932v Y' 'Y UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE THOMAS R. HARRISON, OF WYNCOTE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE BROWN IN- STRUMENT COMPANY, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA INSTRUMENT CASE Application filed June 6,

My present invention relates to the construction and mounting of the enclosing cases for pyrometers, iiow meters and other instruments, which are desirably mounted in one or another of different ways .depending upon the conditions of use. The general object of the present invention is to provide an instrument case which is simple in construction, and is adapted for flush panel mounting, for mounting on a wall and Jfor mounting on a table. The invention is characterized by the simple and eil'ective provisions made Jr'or mounting an instrument casing in either of the three ways above mentioned, without requiring the instrument case to be so shaped as to be unsightly with any of said inountings, or difficult to box for shipment.

The various features of novelty which characterize my invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification. For a better understanding of the invention, however, and the advantages possessed by it reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Of the drawings Fig. l is a front elevation of an instrument casing with a flush panel mounting;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of a portion of the instrument casing shown in Figs. l and 2 with the casing mounted on a wall;

Fig. 4 is a partial section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the instrument casing shown in Figs. 1 and 4, mounted on a table; and

Fig. 6 is a partial section on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5.

The instrument casing shown in the drawings comprises a box-like structure or casing bod A of rectangular outline, which may wellY be a die-casting of aluminum, though Vit may be made of other material. The casing body A is o en at its front, to permit access to its interior when the casing door B is open. The door B is hinge-connected to 1930. Serial No. 459,478.

the body A at one side of the latter. As shown, the casing body A is formed with integral hinge lugs A ,connected by hinge pintles to hinge lugs B formed on the corresponding side of the door B. B2 is a knob for opening and closing the door and locking itin its closed position.

The instrument body is provided with a relatively narrow outwardly projecting flange A2 at the margin of the door opening. Vith the flush panel mounting shown in Figs. '1 and 2, the casing body extends through an opening C in a vertically disposed panel plate or slab C, and the rear side of the flange A2 bears against the panel plate C at the margin of the opening C therein. In the preferred construction illustrated, the instrument case is clamped against the panel C by means of clips or clamp parts D, located above and below the opening C and secured to the panel C by corresponding bolts E passing through the panel and clamp parts.

When the instrument case is mounted on a vertical wall F as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, it is anchored to the wall by mea-ns of hanger parts G secured to the casing body at the back of the latter, and hook-like parts f attached to the wall and advantageously in the form of screws or stud bolts threaded into the Wall and passing through apertures G in the hanger parts G. Advantageously, and as shown, the hanger parts G are plate or barlike pieces of metal, and the lower portions of which, in the condition of the apparatus shown in Figs. 3 and 4, are received in grooves or open pockets A3 formed in the outer face of the back wall of the casing body and extending downward from the top of the latter. Each hanger part is secured in the corresponding pocket A3 by two screws G2 tapped into the portion of the rear wall of the casing body forming the bottoms of said pocket A3.

Advantageously, and as shown in the drawings, the pockets A8, the parts G and the spacl iUUll ing of the holes for the screws Gr2 are so relathe bottom as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the then upper end of the part G is iiush with the top of the casing body. In the condition of the apparatus illustrated in Figs. l and 2, the parts G do not interfere with the insertion of the instrument casein, or its removal from the opening C in the panel C, and do not interfere with the packaging of the instrument for shipment.

In changing from the iush panel mounting to the wall mounting, the parts G are disconnect-ed from the casing body turned end for end and then again secured to the casing body by the screws G2. Advantageously and as shown, the openings G in the parts G, are of keyhole form, the bottom part of each opening, when the parts are in posltion shown in Figs. 3 and 4, being large enough for the passage of the heads of the bolts whereas the then upper port-ions of the openings G are narrowed to t about the bodies of the bolts f, the heads of which then extend beyond the margins of the upper portions of the open- 1n s In the table mounting illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, the lower edge of the casing body flange A3 bears against the top of the table H on which the instrument is mounted, as do the instrument case feet formed by rubber headed screws G3 which are tapped into the underside of the instrument case A, adjacent the rear end of the latter. The screws G3 then pass through the parts G which have been removed from the pockets A3 and are partly received in open pockets or grooves A* formed in the underside of the casing body A. The pockets A4 are open at the rear side of the instrument and the parts G project therefrom to the rear of the body A, and are secured to the table H by screws or tap bolts J threaded into the table H. When the parts G are received in the pocket A8 as shown in Figs. 1-4, the screws G3 may be screwed into the casing body far enough so that the head portions of the screws, are wholly or mainly received in the pockets A4 and do not interfere with the movement of the casing body into and out of the opening C in the panel C, and do not project from the instrument casing far enough to be objectionably noticeable when the apparatus is nounted on a wall as shown in Figs. 3 an 4. i

In the particular instrument casing con-V when the door B is in its open position, to permit of inspection, adjustment and repairs of' an instrument (not shown) mounted on said arm. While the invention is obviously not limited to an instrument casing comprising a pivoted arm like the arm K, the. possible use of such an instrument mounting is a factor to be taken into account in this connection, since such use requires, and emphasizes the importance, of 'a strong and rigid attachment of the instrument casing to the structure by which it is supported. Some instruments, for example, potentiometer instruments, are quite heavy, and the weight of such instrument, when swung out of the instrument casing on the arm K, exerts a very considerable leverage on the instrument casing tending to wrench the latte-r out of its proper position.

As shown, the instrument case A, is formed with apertures A20 for the passage of conducting leads connected to the instrumentalities normally housed in the casing, but their use is not a characteristic of the present invention.

As will be understood by those skilled in the art, the form of instrument mounting employed in any particular installation ordinarily depends upon conditions at that installation. Considerable numbers of instruments of the same pattern are mounted in each of the three ways mentioned above. Heretofore manufacturers of such instruments have commonly employed different instrument casing forms for use in mounting the same instrumentin different ways. The provision of a casing adapted for interchangeable use with the different mountings obviously results in lower manufacturing costs. The casing construction illustrated not only facilitates the use of whichever form of mounting may be most desirable in any particular installation, but secures this result without the use of projecting parts which make the instrument unsightly when mounted on a wall or table, and increase the difficulty of packing the instrument for shipment. A minor, but practically important advantage of the invention, is that the parts G and the screws G2 and GS tapped into the instrument casing for securing the part-s G in their different positions may all be attached to the instrument casing when the latter is packed for shipment so that the instrument may be shipped with all parts attached to it which are required for use in mounting the instrument in any of the above described ways.

`While in accordance with the provisions of the statutes, I have illustrated and described the best form of embodiment of my invention now known to me, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes may be made in the form of the apparatus disclosed without departing from the spirit of my in- 248. SUPPORTS,

kal

ventionas set forth in the appended claims and that in some cases certain features of my invention may be used to advantage without a corresponding use of other features.

Having now described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is l. An instrument casing comprising a boxlike body open at its front side and formed at said side with a marginal flange projecting a small distance outwardly from said body and adapted for engagement with a panel at the margin of an opening therein through which said bodyma-y extend, and having provisions at its rear side adapted for the attachment to said body, of means securing the latter to a supporting structure from which said body may project.

2. An instrument casing comprising a boxlike body open at its front side and formed at said side with a marginal flange projecting a small distance outwardly from said body and adapted for engagement with a panel at the margin of an opening therein through which said body may extend and having provisions at its rear side for detachably securing to said body means for the attachment of said body to a wall in front of which said body may extend and having provisions for securing to its underside means for the attachment of said body to a table upon which said body may rest.

3. An instrument casing comprising a boxlike body open at its front side and formed at said side with a marginal fiange projecting a small distance outwardly from said body and adapted for engagement with a panel at the margin of an opening therein through which said body may extend and formed at its underside with screw openings remote from said flange and recesses surrounding said openings, and headed screws threaded into said openings and adapted to have their heads received in said recesses or to project out of said recesses to form supporting feet for engagement with the top of a table upon which said body may be supported through said feet and the portion of said iiange at the underside of said body.

4. An instrument casing comprising a box-like body open at its front side and formed at said side with an outwardly projecting marginal iange and formed with pockets and bolt openings as its rear side to receive attaching parts and means for securing said parts to the casing, either with portions of said parts projecting away from the body of the casing for attachment to a supporting structure from which the casing projects, or with substantially all portions of said parts received in said pockets. 5. An instrument casing comprising a boxlike body open at its front side and formed at said side with a marginal flange projecting i a small distance outwardly from said body and adapted for engagement with a panel at"V the margin of an opening therein through which said body may extend and having open pockets formed in its rear side, parts adapted to be received in said pockets and provisions for detachably securing said parts in said pockets either with said parts substantially entirely received in said pockets or with portions of said parts projecting upward from said body for the attachment of the latter to a wall in front of which said body may extend, and means for attaching said parts to the underside of said casing body with portions of said parts projecting to the rear of the rear side of said body for the attachment ofthe latter to a table above which said body may extend.

6. An instrument casing comprising a boxlike body open at its front side and formed at said side with a marginal flange projecting a small distance outwardly from said body and adapted for engagement with a panel at the margin of an opening therein through which said body may extend and having open pockets formed in its rear side, parts adapted to be received in said pockets and provisions for detachably securing said parts in said pockets either with said parts substantially entirely received in said pockets or with said parts projecting upward from said body for the attachment of said casing body to a wall in front of which said body may extend, and means including head ed screws for attaching said parts to the underside of said casing body whereby said body may be secured to a table above which said body extends with said parts and screws spacing the rear side of said body away from said table by a distance corresponding to the depth ot' the portion of said flange at the underside of said body.

7. An instrument casing comprising a boxlike body open at its front side, a marginal flange projecting a small distance outwardly from said body adjacent the front side thereof and having a horizontally arranged lower surface, screw openings formed in the underside of said body remote from said flange, and headed screws threaded into said openings, said screws adapted to be arranged to form feet cooperating with said flange lower surface in supporting said body on a level support-ing structure.

S. An instrument casing comprising a boxlike body open at its front side, a marginal flange projecting a small distance outwardly from said body adjacent the front side thereof and having a horizontally arranged lower surface, screw openings formed in the underside of said body remote from said iiange, and headed screws threaded into said openings, the portions of said body immediately surrounding said openings being formed with recesses, said screws adapted to be arranged to form feet co-operating with said flange lm yer surface in supporting said body on a level supporting structure and attaching plates arranged in said recesses and secured in position by said screws and adapted to be secured to said supporting structure.

9. An instrument casing comprising in combination a box-like body open at its front side and means for mounting said body on a supporting structure from which said body projects comprising a recess formed in the rear side of said body and terminating at the upper edge thereof, a supporting part positioned in said recess and arranged to project therefrom when in use, said recess being proportioned to receive said supporting part and hold the same entirely Within the peripheral outline of said body when said part is not in use, and means for securing said part to said body in its extended and Withdrawn positions.

10. An instrument casing comprising a box-like body open at its front side and formed at said side with a marginal flange projecting a small distance outwardly from the periphery of said body and adapted for connection to the marginal portions of a panel opening through which said body may extend, auxiliary body supporting means at the rear of said marginal ange adapted for use in conjunction with or in lieu of said marginal flange, and a recess formed in said body at the rear of said marginal flange and proportioned to receive and hold said auxiliary means substantially Within the peripheral outline of said body.

Signed at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, this 4th day of June, A. D. 1930.

THOMAS R. HARRISON. 

